JoeClarke.Net

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

You can do as well working one week a month at minimum wage as you can

working at a $60,000-a-year, full-time, high-stress job

President Obama in 2008 tried very hard to vilify "rich people" making over $250,000 per year. Since he desperately needs more than those middle class business owners, he has now upped the ante and is charging more than ever after millionaires and billionaires, even though he has already received sizable donations from millionaire Wall Streeters. They can rest assure that Obama will be paying them back with interest if he is reelected.

This week, Heritage.Org released these staggering statistics exemplifying what length the Obama and Dems will resort to in order to buy votes for 2012:

By MACKENZIE WEINGER | 2/8/12 11:17 AM EST

Dependence on government is at an all-time high, according to a new study by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.

The annual Index of Dependence on Government — which the authors score based on how much money was spent on services that were not always traditionally offered by the federal government — found that government dependency jumped 8.1 percent in 2011. Most of the assistance went toward housing, health and welfare, and retirement, according to the survey.

Since the 2008 index, the American people’s dependence on government has grown a whopping 23 percent.

One in five Americans — or slightly more than 67 million — now relies on federal assistance, at a cost of $2.5 billion annually. That’s the highest in the country’s history, the authors wrote. The index also found that Americans who depend on federal assistance receive an average of $32,748 in benefits, about $300 more than the nation’s average disposable personal income.

Overall, about 70 percent of the federal government’s budget is directed to individual assistance programs. And nearly half of the population, or 49.5 percent, don’t pay any federal income taxes, according to the survey.

“Americans should be concerned about this seemingly relentless upward march in Index scores. Dependence on the federal government for life’s many challenges strips civil society of its historical and necessary role in providing aid and renewal through the intimate relationships of family, community, and local institutions and local governments. While the Index does not measure the decay of civil society, it reflects a declining role in this most important aspect of society,” the authors wrote.

William Beach, index co-author and director of The Heritage Foundation’s Center for Data Analysis, added in a statement that “at some point, this unsustainable fiscal model will collapse.”

According to 2008 Presidential campaign stats, Obama was supported by the super rich billionaires rather that those who were mere millionaires worth under 10 million dollars. It seems that when you think you have more money than God (George Soros has actually thought of himself as a god) you acquire a supernatural desire to solve mankind's troubles with (other people's) money - which has given you such great satisfaction. Bill Gates and George Soros, are among those who benefit so many causes, vote Democrat, and gain the adoration of the world, if not God. Warren Buffet, exists among these liberal power elite, who, despite being the world's richest atheist billionaire, was presented as a model for giving by President Obama at the recent National Prayer Breakfast.

President Obama has been resisting a couple of dozen Republican Congressional proposals for three years - so that he can proudly attest that he has had nothing but a Do Nothing Congress to deal with in the same amount of time.

With half of Americans entitled to some sort of government welfare benefits, as Obama's deficit dips into the trillions of dollars each year, it has been increasingly tempting for average Americans, even Tea Partiers, to resist government handouts, as the Federal government itself holds out its hand for borrowed money from the Treasury, China, Japan - or whoever will give to the cause. It is becoming increasingly harder for even Work Ethic Protestants (and Catholics) to resist all those freebies doled out by an overgenerous government, which is offering all the Bread you can eat, and all the Circuses you can watch (subsidized cable, telephones, TV and Internet).

I have read in more than one place, that there are over 3 million skilled jobs available in the U.S. which cannot be filled because the applicants lack qualifications. Never mind, Chinese labor will do it for 10 percent of the cost. In addition, there are millions of other lesser skilled jobs which cannot be filled, because the high school graduate applicants are not only comparatively illiterate compared to other countries, today's youth are far less interested in taking on work which does not involve playing a Playstation for 8 hour a day. A very spoiled generation is lacking incentivization to breakaway from the nanny state.

The United States is spending an estimated 15 percent of its GDP on and for poverty programs according to this. It was less under Bush and much less (about 4 percent) back in the Eisenhower days. Rounding off and using 15 Trillion Dollars as the GDP for 2011, nearly 2.25 Trillion dollars is going out to those who are "in need," or roughly 150 million Americans. Doing the division, that equals an approximate amount of $15,000 "donated" to every one of two Americans. This partially explains how the per person debt for every American born has increased from $34,000 to $49,000 under Obama, who has been cranking out money at blinding speed. Which, in turn, has caused interest rates to be very unattractive to investors, who must stop saving, and invest their money into something that the government can more easily get its hands on like capital gains, dividend income, etc. Their fair share in other words. I wish someone would inform the President that, as a newer Christian, he should abstain from coveting other people's money, no matter that he may think he's doing a great service to God by stealing it.

Back in the day, words such as Yankee Ingenuity, Rugged Individualism, were part of our vocabulary, because we had more freedom to innovate and invent without government interference. Today, not only taxes hold back American enterprise, but Obama energy policies, Dodd-Frank rules and regulations are certainly restricting business and financial ventures.

Speaking of former Democrat Senator Chris Dodd, he has again made news, this time backing the infamous SOPA and PIPA legislation that would very well retard Internet freedoms. After Chris Dodd retired from the Senate, after setting up the housing crisis, and then making things worse with his Dodd Frank legislation, he became Hollywood's chief lobbyist. Here is how Chris Dodd threatened those fellow members of the United States Congress, who would not support the SOPA and PIPA restrictions:

"Those who count on quote 'Hollywood' for support need to understand that this industry is watching very carefully who's going to stand up for them when their job is at stake. Don't ask me to write a check for you when you think your job is at risk and then don't pay any attention to me when my job is at stake,"

The American middle class has traditionally been formed through the middle class businessman, who, previous to Obama, was encouraged to start businesses even while risking time and money in order to enjoy the "American Dream." President Obama, according to the Rules For Radicals, has made this sort of earning prosperity, something that is so dishonorable, that they must be taxed at greater rates in order to support those 50% of Americans who pay no federal income tax, ie., they have no skin in the game.

These 50%, who pay no fed tax may have become gainfully employed employers had they not been conditioned by socialist engineered public education and the temptations of the Democratic party to avoid self-starting risky businesses, and instead, learn to demand money from those who have sacrificed all of their lives. That is Obama's sole mantra and political platform - to have the haves pay their fair share - over and over and over again.

Not only does Obama have the have nots in his camp, who will flood him with votes for his promised favors(Remember from the 2008 presidential campaign, "Obama will pay for my mortgage, my car, my ______"). Obama and the covetous liberals have gained the super wealthy of the world to support him, from George Soros, to Wall Street and Banks, etc. The wealthiest in the world seem to be heavily in favor of Obamanomics. And, the Bill Gates and Warren Buffets of the world are not giving for their own warped egos, they know that as the middle class dwindles, they can fill the gap with their mega industrial presence. Obama has been bleeding the middle class (usually Republican opponents)out of their money and their drive - in order to give to his super poor and super rich proponents. Contrary to what Rush says, I do not think Obama has actually figured out this diabolical plan. Its just part of his Saul Alinski trained nature.

Barack started out hating his white grandmother who cared for him, while loving his unloving black father(s), and he has been on track since his youth to organize communities so that they might gain "their" fair share," - not unlike his socialist African father - which was the subject of his State of the Union address.

During the darkest days of Soviet Communism when bread lines were common, protesters were sent off to Siberia, and socialized medical care was horrific. Yet, even prior to Perestroika, there were crony oligarchs who enjoyed the privileges of capitalist aristocrats, while the common Russian, or anyone living within the Soviet satellites was starving, barely existing. No middle class. Rich and poor separated by the same gulf that Obama and his cronies are unwittingly planning.

Cuba, of course, has no middle class due to Fidel's advance use of middle-class-destroying Obamanomics. Mexico, not communist, has never had a middle class, despite being one of the richest natural resource countries on earth. It may have to do with the mixing of the Spanish and Indians sans a Protestant work ethic. Just saying. I don't believe Europeans, today, have anything to brag about, since they have surrendered any special qualities they may have inherited to socialism.

We should be prepared to see that more borrowed government money will be dispensed to the poor as well as the not-so-poor American in order to garner their votes. Wherever government money is thrown in volume, we can be sure to see graft, inefficiency, and corruption. See how over 50 Cleveland area Democrat elected officials, judges and friends are now being tried for racketeering, election fixing, graft, and every other sort of vice. The national news does not want to publicize this very embarrassing saga involving Democrats, but, if for no other reason, see how the trial is going from a "Puppet Court" point of view. Hilarious, sad, and viral.

The medical industry is so heavily dominated by government money through a myriad of government sponsored medical programs, including Medicare and Medicaid. Possibly, the United States government is responsible for up to 50% of the United States total expense in the National Health Expenditure. This data is from 2005, and government-given health coverage has accelerated since that time, especially under President Obama

Education, from kindergarten to college, has been the recipient of an over generous amount of money through college loans, levies, and other government contributions. The price of a poor elementary public education has climbed through the roof, as students perform very poorly in comparison to the rest of the developed, and undeveloped world. Universities, like Ohio State, are building Campus Mahals, including indoor kayak courses, and other frivolous amenities.

This education bubble, inflated by government money, is ready to burst after having indebted thousands of college students who may never be employed to pay back their billions of dollars in loans. The colleges got their money, and they knew that a high percentage of unqualified, unprepared students would drop out - after their first year.

Maybe, those dropouts, by the grace of God, can struggle against the grain and form businesses, rather than become union robots, and advance so that they become successful members of a middle class who will be in Obama's gun-sight, at least, until January, 2013.

Wherever you find the government throwing around money, you will find Democrats holding out their hands in exchange for votes, and working Republicans robbed at gunpoint - both by the Fed Gov and by the hooded thugs in the big cities, who are subsidized by the very people they are robbing.

Please, take note, Mr. President - new Christian - 'Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.' 1 Corinthians 9:7.

This is how we are to help our fellow man, not by you, Mr. President, benefacting our brother through your charitability with other men's goods, otherwise known as covetousness, which is idolatry Colossians 3:15

Thursday, January 19, 2012

"Do you Newton Leroy Gingrich take __________________ to be your lawfully wedded wife.. . . until death do you part?" "I do."

I guess he didn't really, but I will not condemn him for dropping two wives (adultery at one time was a secular unlawful action, as well as an offense against God and man). Now, we easily cast away our husbands/wives, as both church and government wink at the prospect. "Just ask for forgiveness, and its OK." Or, is it? Newt's own mother split from Newt's father "days after they married." This is what you call a bad start in life - because of divorce. It is far more tragic for children than psychologists (usually very liberal) will admit. Divorced children are more likely themselves to divorce, to commit crimes, to become drug addicts, etc.

Rush Limbaugh, like many South Carolina evangelicals, does not think Newt's past indescretions have anything to do with how he will characterize himself in the Oval Office. In fact, Rush, a mutli matrimonialist himself, did a good job of spear catching for Newt after he trounced on CNN's debate questioner, John King. However, Rush was challenged by some of his ditto-head callers for "sluffing off" one of Newt's former wive's, Marianne, who still looks hurt and battered after so many years. Who can blame her? Rush called the ABC iterview a "dud," and Laura Ingraham, being the hard-ass she is, had little sympathy for Marianne Gingrich. Laura said, "We all knew this story." I am sorry, but I was not aware that Newt dated this very young "devout Catholic," Callista, six years while he was still married to Marianne. Whether he asked for an open marriage, or not, is not that important compared to everything else.

Maybe God has forgiven Newt, and that he has converted to Catholicism, which is one reason Laura, a recent Catholic convert herself, is jumping mad at the media for digging up the dirt. Newt had been certainly taught as a Lutheran (before Lutheranism became so liberal) in his boyhood that one of the Ten Commandments is anti adultery. Newt, later in college, became a Southern Baptist, and we can be darn sure that he got the "Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery," message from the Baptists. Not only that message, but the strict instruction from Christ to not even lust after other women, which begins the process. The woman that was brought before Jesus while committing adultery was forgiven, and then warned, "Go and sin no more." In another similar Gospel circumstance, Jesus adds, "Lest a worse thing comes upon you." Newt is fortunate that he is well over 60 years of age, and that his roving eyes and other body parts will probably not be forcing him to find another, even younger, wife.

I personally know three women, who claim to be Christians from their youth that have been married 15 times, or more, between all of them. One is a preacher's daughter, who has seemed to get pardoned too easily by her parents, who remind her every time, in between husbands, that "God forgives." Teaching heaven sweet, and hell hot is not in vogue much anymore, even among Republican evangelicals who have about the same dismal divorce rates as "the world."

I can easily remember as a Catholic altar boy that divorce was not a consideration for Catholics, so guess what - there were very few divorces in the RC Church fifty years ago. Now, people such as Catholic Nancy Pelosi is able to tell bishops that they must offer communion to pro abortion candidates, like John Kerry, who has also been ignored by church officials, concerning his extra Biblical divorce from his first wife. The Kennedys also seemed to have avoided church discipline for their many extra marital affairs. The same goes for mainline protestants and evangelicals. Easy divorce is now accepted as the norm, as what pastor would dare mention its deadly consequences? Excommunication was a constant threat to apostates at one time, but now Catholics as well as non Catholics tolerate unbilblical divorce, or offer the equally non Biblical annulment. I must admit, though, that Catholicism made it nearly impossible for a wrong spouse to divorce an adulterer mate, and then remarry. The wronged spouse could be denied the Sacraments, if he or she remarried. Read Matthew Chapter 5 and Chapter 19 to understand the Biblical reasons for divorce, although God has said, "I hate divorce."

Its easy for us to call Marianne Gingrich a grinch, or a dud, or whatever, but what Newt and other mates do to their spouses and children always produces a disaster. Look at BHO's childhood and his "daddies."

I believe John McCain was hurt by his indescretions, despite the fact that he may have been forgiven by God. We can be forgiven, yet still chastised.

Here's the way it works: I have been part of various prison ministries for many years, and I have known prisoners, who have become some of the saintliest of people. They have genuinely repented, though they may have committed some of the most gruesome, and aggregious crimes. They now live in the fear and love of God. They have been forgiven because of Christ's ultimate sacrifice, yet most of them will not be leaving jail anytime soon, or ever.

Newt, McCain, Kerry, Edwards, the Kennedys, and so many others, may also have been forgiven, but the court of public opinion usually does not reward those who break the greatest of all contracts - marriage, because of their personal, uncontrolled lust. In general,non-Biblical divorce should be shown to be an experience that will not be rewarded - to the rest of mankind.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Newsweek, headed by Brit import and gossip girl Tina Brown, is trying in vain to reestablish itself as a print-on-a-rag that you might want to buy. Newsweek was so dumbly managed and edited that after eons of existence, it could only be sold for $1.00 to some beasts on the left (that's what they call themselves - The Daily Beast).

Desperate for attention, former conservative, Andrew Sullivan, attempts to offer some limp wristed reasoning as to why "Obama's Critics Are Dumb" in his latest Newsweek cover story.

This is the same Newsweek which covered Michelle Bachmann as a raging, crazy-eyed woman on the cover of a previous month's edition. All this anti Christianity as the British press is charging Christians as being "stupid" for not believing in evolution or man made global warming, although there are various Christian schools of thought on evolution, ie., old earthers vs. young earthers, just to show that there is a diversity of thought among Christians on the subject. Jon Huntsman, a Mormon, before dropping out of the presidential race, ridiculed those Christians who did not wholeheartedly buy either cosmic or biologic evolution. He said, in effect, that Creationism is not science, even though Jon Huntsman's academic record shows that he graduated from college with a Political Science degree, which can hardly be considered a science of any sort.

Andrew Sullivan, for no good reason, calls himself a conservative, despite his leftist leanings and flamboyant gay lifestyle. So, at first glance, Andrew should lose credibility for everything he writes, and he , much the same as one time conservative, David Brock, who is now a rabid leftist at the helm of the infamous fairy tale (no pun intended), Media Matters, has also lost credibility since converting from a conservative to a lib. Its like these two leftists, former conservatives, are fighting tooth and nail to sit at the right hand of Satan. Sorry, make that left hand.

Andrew Sullivan, not a great theologian, either, recently lambasted Tim Tebow for public Tebowing, when according to Sullivan, "Jesus warned against praying in public in the Sermon On The Mount." Andrew, not knowing the context of the Sermon, forgot (as if he ever read it) that in the Bible Book of Acts, alone, I counted sixteen instances in which the apostles and disciples prayed in public.

I think this is why Andrew is dumb, and it might be part of God's grand plan. I don't consider myself as Holier than Thou, but it sure looks like Andrew is striving to be More Pagan Than Thou.

The Plan: "But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty." 1 Corinthians 1:27.

And, "Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?"

That is why everyone from Andrew Sullivan to Hawking, to Dawkins, to now deceased atheist Christopher Hitchens, are only "bright" in their own eyes, and everybody else is dumb.

Sunday, January 08, 2012

Tebow Critics Get Tebotomy. No Fair Praying?

I'm not a big time football fan, even though I played my fair share of football back in the day. What a thrilling end to the Denver - Pittsburgh game when Saint Tebow threw the game winning, overtime pass to the similarly remarkable Demaryius Thomas.

Just as interesting as the game itself has been the media's game of trashing Tim Tebow for his praying and showing "excessive celebration" on the field by kneeling on the turf, pointing his fingers up to the Lord, and other Christian confessions.

The media has lightened up a bit after seeing and believing Tim's talent, but the agnostic jock wonks who hated Rush Limbaugh and Dennis Miller for their conservative stances seemed all too anxious to pile on Mr. Tebow.

Here are a few highlights of journalists and jocks who have gotten their heads handed to them (call it a Tebotomy) after another miraculous win by the Denver Broncos:

Detroit Linebacker Stephen Tulloch mocked Tebow in a tweet for his "Tebowing," and performed a mock Tebow during a Detroit Lion game recently. Note: the Lions just lost their chance to advance in the NFL playoffs.

Saturday Night Livemocked Christ (worse than mocking Tebow) last week when "Jesus" entered into the Bronco locker room and suggested that Tebow study the play book more, and pray less.

Sky Jethani, religious writer at the Huffington Post (Yes, they have a Religion section) accused Tebow of being a hypocrite for praying in public, referencing a piece by gay activist Andrew Sullivan.

Andrew Sullivan, flamboyant gay writer, at the Daily Beast accused Tebow of being a hypocrite because he prays in public, contrary to Jesus warnings to "pray in private" in the Sermon on the Mount. Note to Andrew Sullivan: Sodomy is not a Biblical blessing, contrary to what the Episcopalians and Methodists say, and the Book of Acts in the New Testament mentions public prayer 16 times. I think they understood the commands of Jesus a bit more accurately than Andrew Sullivan.

It really hit home when a former fellow Denver quarterback, Jake Plummer, advised Tebow not to be so flamboyant in expressing his faith

Amidst all this, Tim Tebow has never bashed his critics. In fact, Tim Tebow's response to Chris (named after somebody named Christ, maybe?) was this:

"If you're married, and you have a wife, and you really love your wife, is it good enough to only say to your wife 'I love her' the day you get married? Or should you tell her every single day when you wake up and every opportunity?

"And that's how I feel about my relationship with Jesus Christ is that it is the most important thing in my life. So any time I get an opportunity to tell him that I love him or given an opportunity to shout him out on national TV, I'm gonna take that opportunity. And so I look at it as a relationship that I have with him that I want to give him the honor and glory anytime I have the opportunity. And then right after I give him the honor and glory, I always try to give my teammates the honor and glory.

"And that's how it works because Christ comes first in my life, and then my family, and then my teammates. I respect Jake's opinion, and I really appreciate his compliment of calling me a winner. But I feel like anytime I get the opportunity to give the Lord some praise, he is due for it." Tim Tebow. Amen, brother!!